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ADRIC wasn’t surprised when his female stayed with the smaller healer girl. The taller girl was in the room next to them, but she was awake and talking and seemed somewhat receptive to his brother Dalric’s attention. She’d given Rion instructions on who in their House to notify about what had happened. She was hesitant with all of them, and very untrusting. Dalric had an uphill battle with her, though she wasn’t resisting him yet.
The other girl was who concerned them all. The Equan of Woald was very small, just a bit over five feet. Extremely petite for one of his Kind. And she’d taken a nasty hit from one of the larger demons that day. Several. Adric got pissed just thinking about how that demon—equally as large as Adric was—had backhanded young Iahanna.
The female wasn’t in the greatest health, anyway.
Aureliana arrived, flashed into the private family sitting room next to the healing rooms by her big demon husband. Adric embraced his sister and tried to ignore the fact that his brother-in-law was two inches taller and a hell of a lot meaner than Adric would ever be. He’d hate to go against Renakletos in a back alley in any world.
The guy absolutely adored his sister. Had willingly offered his soul to a Beansidhe to keep his sister from dying. How could any kind of decent brother not like the guy for that? Adric bowed slightly. He might like the male, but the demon was still red. From rage. “Renakletos.”
“We’re here to collect those demons you captured in the Great Hall. Ren has a few questions for them. And I’m here to welcome Dalric’s and Havrich’s Rajnis to the family.” His sister touched Miranda on the shoulder lightly. “Hello Miranda; I trust my brother is being kind?”
Adric didn’t miss the slight flush on her cheeks. “He is.”
“Good. If he’s not, bash him upside the head with something. That always works to control Ren.”
“Little sister? Do you mind? I want my mate to think of me as a nice male.”
Aureliana excused herself and headed toward the small Healing rooms set aside for family use. Not that they had a healer, other than Lana, who was usually busy elsewhere. Barlaam, a cousin and friend, usually handled healing for the Adrastos in this world. It was Barlaam and Lana who were tending his Rajni’s friends, while they waited to give them privacy.
Havrich allowed Miranda to sit with his female while he spoke with Ren, Aureliana and Aodhan regarding the demons. His brother was making tracking the creature behind the attack his second priority—after the care of his mate.
Adric stood at the door, while Miranda sat in the chair next to the small bed. Barlaam was efficient, making the girl as comfortable as possible. He looked over at Adric. “Iahanna was one of my students. I did not know where she and her cousin ended up after... One of our older healers decided it would be best for them not to work with us any longer. I did not agree, neither did Kindara. But by the time we knew, they had been relocated to Center Thrun City.”
“Why?” Adric asked.
“Because of old ways. They are Woald, and many did not trust them to heal any longer. They didn’t understand that healing knows no treachery. It is a shame. Iahanna and Cayri are some of the best I have ever seen.”
“It doesn’t seem right. They didn’t do anything wrong, yet...Sounds a bit extreme to me.” Miranda held her friend’s hand lightly. It was the first person he’d seen her touch other than him or Mallory. That told him a great deal.
“Some of our people are thousands of years old,” Adric said. “Including my father. They favor the old ways because it is familiar to them. It’s no excuse, though. You’re two new sisters-in-law will be well taken care of. I’m sure Havrich is already making arrangements to see the House of Woald is cared for. I know they are relocating them to the heart of his section of the city. It’s in the north Thrun area.”
“Pretty fancy digs up there, I think. Went scavenging up there a few times, but security was tight.”
“Mine is near his.”
“So if your dad hadn’t nearly cleaned my clock, we probably wouldn’t have met.”
The thought had his blood running cold. “No. Most likely not for a long time. But I am glad we did.”
She was quiet for a long time. “Me, too.”
The quiet words gave him hope.
His brother Havrich returned, and Adric pulled Miranda away. She needed to eat and to tend to her puppy. There would be time for her to sit with her friends tomorrow.
He told her that, then scooped her up into his arms again. He wouldn’t lie about it, he liked carrying her around in his arms.
She was his to do with was he wished, after all. She was quiet as he carried her in to the bedroom of his suite. He sat her on the turquoise blanket. “You aren’t chattering like my Rajni usually does.”
“I’m thinking.”
“About?” He took a risk, and untied the hasha around her waist. He slipped her vestis open and down her arms. She sat before him in the simple white bra he knew she’d had Mallory order for her. The human garment, similar to the kind his people had invented hundreds of years ago, made him smile. He liked unwrapping his female, after all.
“What are you doing?”
“I would think it is obvious. You need fresh clothing. I am getting you changed. Then we shall eat dinner and relax. Then retire. I would like to hold you in my bed tonight.” He’d made a point of sleeping on top of the blankets until she was ready for him. But no more. Not after what had happened.
He could have lost her before he even had her. It was time she felt the hands of her mate, time she knew how he felt about her.
“I think I would like that.”
“So what are you thinking about so seriously that it has you frowning here?” He touched her brow lightly.
“Iahanna and Cayri. And your brothers. Did you see how he touched Iah?”
“I hadn’t noticed. I was more concerned with my own female.”
“He touched her and looked at her like he adored her. Like it hurt him to breathe because she was hurting.”
“She’s his mate, love. It did hurt him to see her that way.”
“But he literally had just met her.” She arched her hips and let him slip her pardus over her legs. She sat before him in just her undergarments. Did she realize that?
He had seen her naked several times. Had touched her. But never had she acted like it was normal for him to do that. Adric’s skin tightened and his body tensed. He would not just grab her and take. “So? I knew you were mine from fifteen feet away the instant I heard you cry out. I felt your pain as you hit each of those nine steps. And I tracked you across the city using your smell. I wasn’t going to stop. I was made for you, Miranda of Taniss. Just as Havrich was made for Iahanna. And Dalric for Cayri. It just is.”
“Kiss me. I want you to kiss me the way I saw Aodhan kissing Mallory.”
“How about I kiss you the way Adric has been wanting to kiss Miranda? Because I have thought of it a million different ways. Planned it. Especially when you were curled up on my pillow right next to me these past nights.”
“Have you? I’m not very...well versed...in this sex thing. I haven’t had much time for it, really. You’ll have to go slow. Give me a chance to keep up.”
He stilled against her, ready to step away if she insisted on it.
But she didn’t. Her hands, tiny little claws, tightened around his biceps. She leaned forward, until her face was right next to his neck.
He felt little fangs nipping at his skin. “Take what you need, Miranda. It is my right to give it and yours to take it. Let me give it to you.”
She complied, then after a moment pulled away. “I want you to kiss me and touch me. Hold me. Show me what being a Rajni really means.”
“You mean this? Because there will be no backing out once the decision is made. Once you are mine, we will be together for always. With—the goddess willing—babes to play with Mallory’s, and perhaps one day Havrich’s and Dalric’s. Do you understand what I am asking? This is forever. You will be my beloved forever.”
She thought that sounded like a pretty darned good idea, honestly. “I think I can handle that.”
And she could.